Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

alulae

 - 2 dictionary results

al⋅u⋅la

[al-yuh-luh]
–noun, plural -lae [-lee] .
1. Also called bastard wing, spurious wing. the group of three to six small, rather stiff feathers growing on the first digit, pollex, or thumb of a bird's wing.
2. a membranous lobe at the base of each wing of a dipterous insect.

Origin:
1765–75; < NL, equiv. to L āl(a) wing + -ula -ule


al⋅u⋅lar, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To alulae
al·u·la   (āl'yə-lə)   
n.   pl. al·u·lae (-lē')
A small joint in the middle of a bird's wing, homologous with the thumb and bearing three or four quill-like feathers. Also called bastard wing, spurious wing.

[New Latin, diminutive of Latin āla, wing.]
al'u·lar (-lər) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see alulae on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: